Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is seen speaking to a group of reporters about his decision not to run in the Liberal Democratic Party's presidential election, on Sept. 3, 2021. (Mainichi/Kan Takeuchi)

       TOKYO -- Sixty percent of those surveyed in a nationwide public opinion poll on Sept. 18 said that Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's decision to step down without running in the upcoming presidential election of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is "appropriate."

       The survey was conducted jointly by the Mainichi Shimbun and the Social Survey Research Center. Only 15% said that they wanted Suga to stay in office as prime minister, while 24% said they could not say either way. Even among LDP supporters, 50% answered that Suga's resignation was "appropriate."

       When asked to evaluate the one year under the Suga administration, which was established in September 2020, the results were split, with 40% giving it a positive rating and 40% expressing dissatisfaction. Nineteen percent of respondents said they could not say either way.

       Prime minister Suga has stated that he is not running in the presidential election because he wishes to dedicate himself to coronavirus countermeasures. Altogether, 33% of those surveyed said that they appreciate the administration's coronavirus countermeasures. The figure was up from the 14% recorded in the previous poll held on Aug. 28, but still below the 47% (70% in the previous poll) who said they didn't appreciate the administration's COVID-19 response.

       The Suga Cabinet's support rate stands at 37%, up 11 percentage points from the previous poll, which recorded the lowest figure since the administration's launch. The disapproval rating stood at 55%, down 11 points from the last poll.

       Among the pollees, 37% supported the LDP, up 11 points from the August poll, while 10% backed the largest opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the same as in the last survey. The support rate for the conservative opposition Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin) stood at 5% (8% in the August poll), followed by the Japanese Communist Party at 4% (5% in the previous poll), the LDP's junior coalition partner Komeito at 4% (3% previously), Reiwa Shinsengumi at 2% (unchanged) and the Democratic Party for the People at 1% (also unchanged). Thirty-four percent of respondents said they supported no particular party, down 8% from the August poll.

       When asked which political party would be their choice for proportional representation seats in the next House of Representatives election, 35% selected the LDP, up 11 points from the previous poll. The responses for other parties, with percentages from the poll in August noted in parentheses, were: the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan: 14% (14%), the Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin): 7% (8%), the Japanese Communist Party: 6% (6%), Komeito: 5% (4%), Reiwa Shinsengumi: 2% (2%), and the Democratic Party for the People: 2% (2%). Twenty-eight percent said they were "still undecided," down 9% from the previous poll.

       Respondents answered questions sent either through SMS texts on mobile phones or automated voice messages on landlines. Valid responses were received from 732 people via mobile phones and 311 via landlines.

       (Japanese original by Nanae Ito, Political News Department)

       Font Size S M L Print Timeline 0